


Lean On Me

by notjustmom



Series: Season 4 Song Fics [23]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, M/M, With Fluff, bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:52:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9854735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: "Sometimes in our lives we all have painWe all have sorrowBut if we are wiseWe know that there's always tomorrowLean on me, when you're not strongAnd I'll be your friendI'll help you carry onFor it won't be long'Til I'm gonna needSomebody to lean onPlease swallow your prideIf I have faith you need to borrowFor no one can fill those of your needsThat you won't let showYou just call on me brother, when you need a handWe all need somebody to lean on..."-"Lean On Me," Bill Withers





	

They didn't talk about them, those nights when John wouldn't sleep even though he could barely keep his eyes open. He would make more coffee, or take a shower, or run to the shops, but eventually, he would crash and the nightmares would come. In the early days, in the time before the pool, before the fall, before Mary, when Sherlock was innocent, he could play a lullaby, make tea, speak softly from the doorway, or sit in a chair and read to his friend to help him find his way out.

But, now, faced with nightmares of his own making, on the bad days, Sherlock would quietly put Rosie down in her cot, kiss her good night, and switch on the nightlight, before moving silently back downstairs. He would meet John's eyes, and see everything John hid from everyone else, or at least tried to. Sherlock would nod, and wrap his arms around John. "Can you tell me?" John would simply shake his head no, and Sherlock would help him to bed, undress them both, then hold John tightly in his arms, through the night, through the trembling and tears, finally falling asleep when John was peacefully at rest. 

Then there were the nights, if he had been on his own, left to his own devices, he would have thrown on his coat and scarf and walk all night; but he had a family now that needed him, needed him to be there, no matter how hard it was when the ghosts came. John would take the violin when he couldn't stop playing, or turn off the microscope when he was staring at nothing, and hold him tightly, as the sobbing took over. John never asked, and Sherlock never told him, but the shadows of his mistakes, and his constant dance with darkness were kept at bay as John held him together.

"I'm here, love." John would whisper into Sherlock's hair, over and over, "I'm here, I'm here, I have you." And Sherlock would let him carry him to bed and they would gently make love until Sherlock fell asleep in his arms. 

Perhaps, Sherlock thought to himself one morning, it was a bit not good that they couldn't share their stories that haunted them, but then he considered as he watched John play with Rosie while he drank his tea, he knew what they had was enough, it was - John looked up at him and smiled, and Sherlock smiled back; it was more than enough.


End file.
